Lacing for wearing-apparel.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

M. MEYER. LACING POR WEARING APPAREL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A TORNEY mvnsw a. cumul au. womuruocmwsns, mimmo". o. c.

No. 819,907. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

M. MEYER.

LACING FOR WEARING APPAREL.

APPLICATION -FILED APR.8. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

INVENTORZ f7 "FawlETLL-yexg BY @amic ATTORN EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LACING FOR WEARING-APPAREL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed April 8, 1905. Serial No. 254,602.

T0 a/ZZ whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE MEYER, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacings for IVearing-Apparel; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements generally in fasteners or lacings for wearingapparel of the various kinds-such as corsets, gloves, boots, shoes, and the like; and the invention has reference more particularly to a novel lacing and fasteners therefor which is applicable especially for corsets by means of which after the corset has been arrranged in position upon the body of the wearer and has been hooked up it can be pulled tight with the greatest of ease and without discomfort, so as to produce a perfectly-fitting and beautiful form, which is so essential in wearingapparel of this character.

`Hyinvention has for its principal objects to provide a novel and simply-constructed lacing and fasteners or receivers provided with specially-shaped loops or eyelets through which the lacing or cord is passed, thereby providing a frictionless lacing means which enables the wearer to tighten or pull up the lacing with the least expenditure of power and exertion, and whereby the corset when upon the body will conform to the shape of the body of the wearer.

A further object of m invention is to provide an arrangement of acing devices or fasteners provided with outwardly-extending and inwardly-convex loops or eyelets, so as to project away from the body of the wearer, thereb preventing discomfort to the wearer or cha ng of the over or under lying garments and also preventing any undue wearing or cutting of the lacing while being pulled back and forth through the several loops or eyelets of the lacing devices.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel lacing and lacing devices therefor in which the main bodies of said devices are arranged between folded-over edge portions of the meeting edges of the corset, such as a receiving-pocket for the back-stay and a protecting means preferably in the form of a covering-flap with the outwardlyprojecting lacing-receiving loops extending freely from the oppositely-located edges of the corset, but covered by said protecting means, and the pulling portions of the lacing also extending from a pair of centrally-disposed and oppositely-placed loops, entirely free from the garment or corset, so as to present no. friction or obstruction to the moving lacing, as is the case when the pull ends of the lacing are inserted and pass through eyelets or other similar devices secured directly in the edge portions of the corset.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly mentioned will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention.

Vith the various objectsxof my present invention in view the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel lacing for corsets and other wearing-apparel hereinafter set forth, and, furthermore, this invention consists in the various arrangements and combinations of devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a rear face view of a corset provided with a lacing embodying the principles of my present invention, showing the general arrangement of the lacing-cord and its centrally-disposed pull portions in their relative positions ready for being pulled tight and then to be placed around and tied upon the front of the corset. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the two rear lacing edges of the corset with their outer aps represented as being broken away, showing the projecting edges of the lower receiving-pocket and an interlining pocket with its extending lacing loops or eyelets-and the lacing operatively inserted in said loops. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale, the said section being taken on line 3 3 in said Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a similar section, said section being taken on line 4 4 in said Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a face view of the two corset-stays and lacing devices secured thereto with the lacing inserted in the loops or eyelets of said devices. Fig. 6 is a face view of a portion of one of the stays and IOO IIO

a lacing device secured thereto, the loop or eyelet of the device being shown in horizontal section; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the said parts, said section being taken on line 7 7 in said Fig. 6.

Similar vcharacters of reference are employed in all of the said above .views of the drawings.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference character 1 indicates 'any suitable style of corset, with which my invention may be used but it will be understood, however, that the invention is applicable also to other wearing-apparel, such as gloves, boots, shoes, and the like.

The general arrangement and construction of the parts which comprise the rear meeting edges 2 of the corset is that generally shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

In the several figures of the drawings, the reference character 3 indicates a portion of the body of the corset, to the edges of which are sewed by means of the stitchings 4 and 5 an upper member 6 and lower member 7 and between these members 6 and 7 is arranged so as to lie lightly between the stitchings 5 and the marginal edge of the body portion 3 a stay 8, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The forward edge portion of the said lower member 7 is doubled over upon itself, substantially in the manner shown, thereby providing a receiving-pocket 9, in which is arranged a stay 10. 'The forward edge portion of the upper member 6 is doubled under, substantially as shown, thereby providing a suitable protecting means, in the form of a liap 11. Between these two loosely-disposed edge portions-namely, the receiving-pocket 9 and the flap 1 1 1 have arran ed and secured bymeans of the stitchings 5 a olded-over piece which forms an interlining pocket 12. The respective ends of these various parts are closed by the upper and lower edge bindings 13 of the corset in any usual and well-known manner. Both of the rear meeting edges of the corset are similarlyl constructed and a structure is the result in which the stays 8 and 10 provide the necessaryfstiifness of the said meeting edges, but still have sufcient flexibility to allow said edges to conform to the general curvature of the back of the wearer.

The lacing which embodies the principal features of my present invention consists, essentially, of a pair of steels or stays 14, one for each interlining pocket 12, in each of which a steel or stay is placed with the loops or eyelets of the several lacing devices or fasteners extendin and projecting through slits or openings in t e folded piece which forms such interlining pocket, as will be clearly seen from an inspection of said Fig. 4 of the drawings. The said lacing devices or fasteners are preferably made from sheet metal which is bent substantially in the manner vent discomfort to the wearer.

illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, the same being made with an upwardly and outwardly extending loop or eyelet 15 and a pair of overlapping end members or portions 16 and 17, which project away from the outer face of the corset, so as to leave a substantially smooth and unobstructed surface upon the inner face of the corset to pre- These overlapping end members, as well as the steel or stay 14, are provided with registering holes or perforations for the insertion of suitable rivets 19, by means of which the said overlapping members 16 and 17 are secured upon the under faces of the steels or stays 14, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings. Lacing-cords 20 and 21 are then passed through the various loops or eyelets 15, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, the said lacings 2O and 21 having their free ends tied, as at 22 and 23, at the top and bottom and with the middle portions 24 and 25 extending from the loopsor eyelets of the centrally-disposed lacing fasteners or devices to provide a pair of pull portions, by means of which the lacings are pulled up tight and the meeting edges of the corset brought in close proximity. From an inspection more particularly of Figs. 5, 6, and 7 it will be seen that the said loops or eyelets 15 extend upwardly and outwardly along the marginal edges 26 of the steels or stays 14, so as to bring the central longitudinal axes of the loops or eyelets 15 in alinement with the fiat steels or stays 14 or substantially in the plane of the upper face of each stay, whereby the pull upon each loop or eyelet in tightening up the corset is brought more directly upon the edges 26 of the stays. This lovercomes any distortion of the stays due to any unevenlydistributed strain, and thus enables the parts to be operated and pulled together with the least possible exertion on the part of the wearer of the corset. The inner marginal coniiguration of each loop or eyelet 15 is also preferably made convex, as at 27, so that the loops or eyelets are provided with outwardly- Haring openings 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In this manner there will be no sharp edges, which would offer a great resistance to the movements of the lacings 20 and 21 through the loops or eyelets 15, thus reducing all friction to a minimum, and, furthermore, overcoming all possibility of the edges of the loops or eyelets chafing or cutting the lacings.

From the foregoing description of my present invention and from an inspection of the several figures of the drawings, it will be seen that the lacings are crossed and run through the several loops or eyelets of the lacing devices entirely outside of the edges of the meeting edges of the corset and in alinement with the plane of the said edges, thus producing a lacingmeans which is not unsightly and IOO IZS p,

ISVO

is not in the least bulky and greatly increases the ease with which the lacing cord or cords run through the several loops or eyelets 15. The lacing cord or cords thus always being located directly between the meeting edges of the corset and the loops or eyelets being located between the portions 10 and l1, there will be no exposed and unsightly projecting parts to rub and chafe the outer or inner garments of the wearer or that might otherwise be of great discomfort to the person when the meeting edges have been laced up tightly.

I am aware that changes may be made in the various arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as well as in the details of the construction of the same without departing from the scope of my present invention. Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as described in the foregoing drawings, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a lacing for corsets and the like, the combination, with two members to be fastened, of a steel or stay in each member, and lacing devices secured to said steels or stays, said lacing devices having lacing-receiving loops projecting outwardly from the meeting edges of said members, and then upwardly with the central longitudinal axis of each loop lying in the plane of the upper face of the stay with which the lacing devices are connected, each receiving-loop having an interior convex surface and outwardly-flaring open ends, and a lacing in said loops having pull portions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a lacing for corsets, in combination, with a meeting edge, comprising, a pair of members 6 and 7 and a stay 8 between said members, a receiving-pocket connected with said member 7, a stay in said receivingpocket, a flap connected with said member 6, an interlining pocket between said receivingpocket and said flap, a steel or stay in said interlining pocket, and lacing devices connected with said steel or stay, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a lacing vfor corsets, in combination, with a meeting edge, comprising, a pair of members 6 and 7 and a stay 8 between said members, a receiving-pocket connected with said member 7, a stay in said receivingpocket, a flap connected with said member 6, an interlining pocket between said receivingpocket and said flap, a steel or stay in said interlining pocket, and lacing devices connected with said steel or stay, said lacing devices having lacing-receiving loops projecting from the outer edge of said interlining pocket, and a lacing in said loops, saidlacing having a pull portion, and said lacing and pull portion being located outside of and free from said members 6 and 7 and the interlining pocket, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a lacing 'for corsets, in combination, with a meeting edge, comprising, a pair of members 6 and 7 and a stay S between said members, a receiving-pocket connected with said member 7, a stay in said receivingpocket, a flap connected with said member 6, an interlining pocket between said receiving-pocket and said flap, a steel or stay in said interlining pocket, and lacing devices connected with said steel or stay, said lacing devices having lacing-receiving loops projecting outwardly from the outer edge of said interlining pocket and then upwardly with the central longitudinal axis of each loop lying `in the plane of the upper face of the stay with which the lacing devices are connected, and a lacing in said loops, said lacing having a pull portion, and said lacing and pull portion being located outside of and free from said members 6 and 7 and the interlining pocket, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a lacing for corsets', in combination, with a meeting edge, comprising, a pair of members 6 and 7 and a stay 8 between said members, a receiving-pocket connected with said member 7, a stay in said receivingpocket, a iiap connected with said member 6, an interlining pocket between said receivingpocket and said flap, a steel or stay in said interlining pocket, and lacing devices connected with said steel or stay, said lacing devices having lacing-receiving loops project- IOO ing outwardly from the outer edge of said interlining pocket, each receiving-loop having an interior convex surface and outwardlyflaring open ends, and a lacing in said loops, said lacing having a pull portion, and said lacing and pull portion being located outside of and free from said members 6 and 7 and the interlining pocket, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set Jforth above I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of April, 1905.

MAURICE MEYER.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, GEO. D. RICHARDs.

IIO 

